Jurney a solid addition to Vikings

With his military family still living aboard Camp Lejeune, White Oak senior soccer player Troy Jurney finds himself waking up every morning a little earlier because he has to drive himself to school.

Chris Miller - Prep sports writer

With his military family still living aboard Camp Lejeune, White Oak senior soccer player Troy Jurney finds himself waking up every morning a little earlier because he has to drive himself to school.

“You got to make it here with all the traffic,” Jurney said. “The first couple of days were hard, but it’s fine. I’m not late.”

Having to get out of bed at before crack of dawn and beat the early morning traffic is just part of the deal for the 17-year-old Jurney, who attends White Oak after transferring from Lejeune this summer.

And what an addition he has become for the Vikings’ soccer team.

Jurney leads the area in scoring with 14 goals and 3 assists, and is a key reason White Oak (10-0, 4-0 Coastal 3-A Conference) is ranked fourth in the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association 3-A poll.

Jurney is a well-spoken son a Marine Corps colonel and a prototypical Marine sibling. To each and every question he replies with a “Yes sir” or “No sir” even though he no longer goes to Lejeune High.

These days Jurney is enjoying his time with the Vikings after he recorded 10 goals and 4 assists last year for the Devilpups. He played one year at Lejeune after living in Virginia Beach as a freshman and sophomore. His family lived in Rhode Island when he was in the eighth grade after living in Jacksonville the previous three years.

“It’s really fun coming from Lejeune. I still wish Lejeune the best of luck and I go support them whenever I can, but White Oak is a great fit,” Jurney said. “The school is nice and I already knew people from soccer.

“It’s lived up to the expectations so far. They (teammates) were very welcoming. They kind of joke and call me, ‘The Rookie.’ They are like, ‘Rookie, go get the balls’ and stuff like that.”

White Oak coach Buddy Carroll wasn’t aware of Jurney’s talents until this summer when some of his returning players mentioned to him about the Lejeune transfer joining the Vikings.

It didn’t take long for Jurney to impress his new coach.

“I was excited to see him mesh with the guys, but I wasn’t sure how he would do,” Carroll said. “But his energy level and willingness to adapt to our system was tremendous. He’s been a great addition for us.”

Jurney has given the Vikings a solid presence on the attack with his ability to make good runs on and off the ball and finish plenty of his opportunities inside or outside of the 18-yard line. The forward has also taken a lot of stress away from senior midfielder Gabe Aquino, who draws many opponents’ best defenders.

“If they give me opportunities inside the 18 or anywhere, I got to finish them,” Jurney said. “I know my role is to find the net.”

Or help his teammates score, Carroll said.

“Troy has given us another scoring threat, but he is also another (mentally strong) player that we needed,” Carroll said. “He tries to help others around him see the game better and get scoring opportunities. He’s really unselfish, and that’s what stands out to me. If he doesn’t have the opportunity, he’s always looking for his teammates.

“You can’t really defend one certain area. You have to defend all across the frontline and midfield. He creates opportunities for others, whether it’s just his presence or ability to get shots off.”

Jurney is a left-footed striker, meaning he’s positioned along the left flank of White Oak’s attack. His field position has caught his opponents off guard at times.

“I think it does throw some people off because they are not used to seeing a lefty out there,” Jurney said. “They are always trying to force me to my left foot, and that helps me out.”

But while Jurney has made a name for himself by scoring goals this season, finding the net isn’t his only objective. He wants to help lead the Vikings win the conference title and earn a trip to the NCHSAA 3-A final.

It’s safe to say that Jurney’s presence this season has been a big help for undefeated White Oak, which went 12-9-2 last year.

“So far things are going well and hopefully we can go to the state final because that’s our goal,” Jurney said. “As long as our team is doing good and we get wins I’m happy with what happens on my part.”